Author - Jacqueline Perrier-Gillette

French President Francois Hollande recently held an emergency security meeting at the Elysee Palace on September 25th in response to the brutal beheading of a French national. Despite prior comments from French officials that France would not go beyond air strikes in Iraq, they are now considering such measures in order to subdue the expanding…

The start of autumn brings longer nights, shorter days, and the anticipated holiday season. This is a time when people cozy up next to the hearth with a hot beverage in hand as the chilly weather settles in for the season. The sweaters and gloves are taken out of hibernation, while those light fun summer…

French politicians have their agendas full as they flock to Paris. In addition to economic reforms during these challenging times, the French people are demanding the introduction of functional immigration policies. French natives and immigrants from around the world are hitting the streets of Paris voicing many different views on immigration. These opposing opinions have…

Americans have a lot of bad stereotypes surrounding them, causing the rest of the world to snub their noses at us. Lucky for us Americans though, every criticism made about us is accompanied with a compliment. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, since despite all of the complaints against Americans, the U.S. is still one…

When you put yourself out there to be judged, you will be judged. The United States of America is the current superpower of the world, one of the number one destinations for immigrants, and as a consequence, one of the most critically-judged countries in the world. The rest of the world has a love-hate relationship…

Self-reflection is a hard task to take on, since the culminating results are often unpleasant. However, regardless of the ugly truth, we cannot improve without first isolating and admitting to the problem. This constructive criticism extends beyond us, our jobs, our families, and our friends – it also encompasses our countries of origin and our…

The French have a bad reputation when it comes to working. The lack of enthusiasm is hard to miss when interacting with any French employee. Deadlines are missed, vacation time and sick-leave will be abused, punctuality is borderline mythical, and cheating rather than proving oneself is expected. The “I can do this, but you can’t”…

Being the curious foreigner that I once was in Paris, there was a time I wanted to photograph everything in order to fully document my experience. Unfortunately for me, the group of Parisian police officers rushing to the door of my third floor apartment made it very clear that I was not allowed to photograph…

Unlike the rest of the world, Americans are accustomed to viewing their films without voice-overs, without subtitles, and with actors they recognize. Imagine going to the movie theater every time just to see actors who you know do not think the same way, do not speak the same language, and whose actual voices you know…

When France gives you grapes, make wine. Then drink it so that you can laugh off the unnecessary, yet frequent inconveniences that accompany life in France. Not a drinker? Well, leave those grapes in the sun to dry and keep some with you at all times to shove in your mouth in order to keep…

Despite growing globalization and distant travel made faster and easier, people still hold on to archaic stereotypes about widely visited countries, such as France. In recent years America has finally started to wake up and change their (body) image. Celebrities have risen to the cause as well, promoting healthy, strong, fit bodies, rather than the…